Mail-box.



No. 647,296. N Patenten; Apr.l |o, |900.

Appli tio 1899. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l y -@MMf www No. 647,296. Patented Apr. lo', |900.

. s. w. FREEMAN.

- MAIL BOX.

(Application ma mc. 2a, m99.)

2 Sheets-Sheet -2 wbr/wacom m H M, z"

` @Howling PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE w.l FREEMAN, oF FEANKFORT, INDIANA.

MAIL- Box.

SPCFIGATIN forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,296, dated April 10, 1900.

Application filed December 23, 1899. Serial No. 741,396. (No model.)

or hinged delivery-chute E of any desirable T0 all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. FREEMAN, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented `certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has for its object to provide a novel and simple mail-box particularly adapted to meet the demands of the rural mail routes that are being instituted throughout the country; Aand it consists in a box constructed substantially as shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed. 4

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of a mail-box constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the box in a locked position and the cover thereof elevated* when inserting a piece of mail-matter through the opening at the top of the box; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation showing the deliverychute released and in position to receive the mail-matter from the box; Fig. 3, a sectional view showing the bottom of the box in a looked position; Fig. 4, a sectionalview showing a modification in locking the delivery-chute. Y

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the mail-box of any suitable size and construction and having a closed top B, with opening a for the insertion of the mail-matter. This closed top B is provided with a hinged cover C, provided with a flange h around its three sides for the shedding of the water and preventing it from entering the opening in the top of the box.

Any suitable cover may be substituted for that shown, and, if desired, the top may be slightly inclined, as shown, these features of the box, as well as the 'box itself, being susceptible of various changes or modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention. v

The lower end of the box A is provided with a pivoted or hinged bottom D, which is preferably inclined,as shown, but may be perfectly flat, as found most desirable. Directly under the pivoted or hinged bottom D is a pivoted form and construction and provided at its outer end with a suitable stop F, preferably of wire, which catches the mail-matter as it is delivered from the box onto the deliverychute, and thus prevents the mail-matter sliding off the end thereof, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This delivery-chute is preferably pivoted to the side extensions c of the box, as shown; but the chute may be pivoted or hinged in any suitable manner that will admit of its being used as herein described.

The delivery-chute E has its inner end beveled or curved, as shown at d, so that when the bottom D of the'box is dropped or lowered this beveled end will act as a cam when the bottom is brought in contact therewith and the chute will be forced out in posi* tion, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The position of the delivery-chute is located outside the mail-box and on a plane below the bottom thereof, and said chute is pivoted or hinged at a point a short distance below the inner or bearing end thereof. This pivoting of the chute below the inner or bearing end thereof is considered of material importance to the successful operation of the chute when the bottom of the box is lowered or dropped. The beveled end of the chute and the manner of pivoting or hinging it and the location of the same directly under the bottom enable said bottom and chute to operate conjointly or coacting with each other when the bottom Vis dropped.

is a further advantage in providing a successsuitable hasp and padlock G are shown, although any suitable or well-known locking device may be substituted, and in Fig. 4 the IOO delivery-chute is shown as locked to a post H or may be locked to any other object that may be found convenient.

In Figs. l, 2, and 3, wherein the bottom of the box is designed to be locked to the box itself, the delivery-chute will be a dead element so long as the bottom is so locked; but in Fig. 4 the delivery-chute when locked also locks the bottom of the box by the inner end of the chute being held against the same.

The box is especially valuable as a house letter-box, in either instance the mail being conveniently taken out by the postman and also mail delivered to the box, as required, and in case of a private individual who has full charge of the box and a duplicate key thereto, mail-matter may be. conveniently deposited in the box to be taken out by the postman, and the mail delivered thereto taken out by the one having access to the box.

The essential feature of the mail-box is the pivoted or hinged delivery-chute upon which the letters or other` mail-matter are` automatically deposited when the box is down in position,as shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A mail-boxprovided with a pivoted or hinged bottom,and an independently pi voted or hinged delivery-chute located outside of the box and pivoted or hinged directly under the same and at a point below the inner or bearing end of the chute whereby the chute will operate conjointly With the bottom of the box when the latter is dropped, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A mail-box provided with a pivoted or hinged bottom, and a pivoted or hinged deliverychute located outside the box and directly u'nder the bottom thereof and pivoted or hinged at a point below the inner or bearing end of the chute, and means for locking the bottom in a closed position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A mail-box provided with a pivoted or hinged bottom, a delivery-chute located outside the mail-box and pivoted or hinged below its inner or bearing end and directly under the bottom of the box, said inner end of the chute being inclined or vbeveled to be operated upon when the bottom is dropped, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A mail-box provided with a pivoted or hinged bottom, a delivery-chute located outside the box and directly under the bottom thereof and pivoted or hinged at a point below the inner or bearing end of the chute, the same being provided with a suitable stop at its outer end to catch the mail-matter as it passes from the box onto the chute, substan` tially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A mail-box provided with a suitable hinged top and a pivoted or hinged bottom, means for locking the bottom closed, and a delivery-chute located outside the box and pivoted or hinged directly under the same and at a point below the inner or bearing end of the chute, said chute having an incline or bevel and a suitable stop upon its inner and outer ends respectively, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WV. FREEMAN. 

